EB Design Air Inc. Blog : Archive for the ‘Solar Energy’ Category

Benefits of Going Solar This Spring

Wednesday, March 23rd, 2016

Towns like Sloatsburg, NY aren’t exactly known for their sunny skies, which has turned a lot of people away from the possibilities of solar power. But just like any other technology, solar arrays have improved over the last few years, and today’s models are capable of absorbing energy on even the cloudiest days. That makes installing a solar array on your home a far more desirable prospect than it may have been just a few years ago. With that in mind, here’s a brief list of the benefits of going solar this spring, and the reward you’ll start reaping right away when you do.

Tags: Sloatsburg, Solar Energy
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Can I Use Solar Energy to Power My Air Conditioning System?

Monday, September 14th, 2015

It’s been a great thing to see so many homeowners add solar power to their homes. Not only is solar power good for you, it’s very good for the environment. However, it can be a little confusing as to how solar power can be applied to your home. Is it for general use? Is it for a specific appliance or system? The answer is: it can be either, and that choice is up to you.

Tags: Nanuet, Solar Energy, Solar Photovoltaic Systems
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Active vs. Passive Solar Hot Water Heaters: What’s the Difference?

Monday, June 1st, 2015

Using a solar hot water heater can help save you money, save energy, and decrease your carbon footprint. However, there are choices to be made, as there are some options where solar water heaters are concerned. The first item to determine for any homeowner who wants to install solar water heating is choosing an active solar hot water heater or a passive one. This doesn’t mean you’ll have a water heater that moves around versus one that doesn’t; rather, passive vs. active describes the way the unit provides hot water to your home. Let’s take a closer look.

Tags: New City, solar hot water heater
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Why Consider Solar Panels for My Home?

Monday, April 13th, 2015

Did you know that between May and September, our area gets approximately 14 hours of daylight every day? What if you could turn that daylight into power for your home with minimal effort on your part? You can, with solar panel installation from Design Air Inc. We can help you design a solar energy system that can be off-grid, grid connected or a hybrid system. It’s important to work with professionals who specialize in solar energy so that you can be assured of having a properly installed system, so call on our experts. We have years of experience installing, repairing, replacing and maintaining PV systems, and all of our work is 100% guaranteed.

Tags: New City, Solar Photovoltaic Systems
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How Photovoltaic (PV) Panels Work

Wednesday, September 10th, 2014

Advances in technology have made it far easier for the average homeowner to utilize solar energy for his/her home. Additionally, grants and tax rebates for residential solar panel installation and use has also made it financially feasible for many more homeowners to take advantage of this alternative energy. However, it can still be confusing how solar energy in Pomona works. Design Air, Inc. has installed hundreds of solar panels over the years, and we can help you become greener and save energy with solar panels for your home.

What Does “Photovoltaic” Mean?

Photovoltaics (PV) is the direct conversion of sunlight into electricity at the atomic level (atoms).

How Does PV Work?

All photovoltaic energy begins with a single mechanical cell called a solar cell. The top and bottom of the cell are treated with materials that make one side of the cell positively charged (the bottom) and the other negatively charged (the top). The top and bottom are connected by electrical conductors, and the opposite charges create an electrical field that is necessary for the solar cell to create electricity from sunlight.

How Is Electricity Generated?

When sunlight hits the solar cell, electrons are knocked loose from the atoms in the top and bottom of the solar cell. They are then captured as electrical current in the conductors that are attached to the solar cell. Metal conductive plates on the sides of the cell collect the electrons (electrical current) and transfer them to wires. At that point, the electrons (electrical current) flow like any other source of electricity.

Solar Array

Obviously a single solar cell isn’t going to power your home, but this is where the solar array, also known as a panel, comes in. Solar panels are made of multiple solar cell modules that are wired together to provide enough electricity to power your home or large systems, like your air conditioning system. PV panels produce direct current (DC) electricity and can be connected in either series or parallel electrical arrangements to produce any required voltage and current combination. The solar panels can be wired right into your home’s electrical box.

Solar energy can make your home very energy efficient and significantly lower your carbon footprint. If you are interested in seeing what solar energy in Pomona can do for you and your home, call Design Air, Inc., today and schedule an appointment with one of our installation experts.

Tags: Pomona, Solar Energy
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What Do I Need to Know about Installing Solar Panels?

Thursday, July 10th, 2014

Solar energy is one of the best ways to achieve low-cost power to your home while benefiting the environment. Solar panels on the roof of your home will capture the radiant power of the Sun—a 100% free and renewable source of energy—and change it into electrical energy that can run anything from a water heater to your HVAC system and lights.

We know that choosing to convert to a solar energy system in Spring Valley, NY is a major decision, and one you may shy away form because of the costs, planning, and labor involved. We’d like to assure you that solar energy is worth the investment, and it isn’t as difficult to install as you imagine—provided you have excellent trained solar installers on the job.

Here are a few important things to know about the installation of solar panels for your home that may help you make the choice. Call Design Air Inc to find out in greater detail what the work for your home will involve. We have many years of experience with helping homeowners “go green” with energy efficiency solutions.

Here’s What You need to Know About Solar Panel Installation

Solar panels consist of photovoltaic (PV) cells, which create an electric current due to the photovoltaic effect whenever light strikes them. They can also gather scattered light, so it isn’t necessary for them to have full direct sunlight to work. PV panels have no moving parts, which makes them extremely long-lived. This is one of the reasons solar panels are an excellent installation: you have many years to enjoy the benefits of the panels after they are installed.

These PV panels are installed on your roof, although in some cases they can be placed on the ground, mounted on stands; it depends on the available space. You can choose whether your PV system runs entirely self-sufficiently, off the power grid; or if it uses a back-up connection from the grid when it is incapable of producing sufficient electricity. An off-grid PV system will require battery storage.

Proper installation requires knowing exactly how much power your home needs: are you only hooking up a solar water heater (which is a very good place to start when adjusting to solar power)? Or are you looking into powering the whole house? The installers will make the necessary calculations to determine the number of PV panels necessary to match your power needs.

The actual installation involves the installers first mounting the PV panels into a wooden framework, then placing the framework on the roof. They then make the electrical connections between the panels into your home’s electrical system and install the necessary batteries and connection to the grid (if the system uses a backup).

This work sounds complicated, and it is… but that’s why you call on solar power specialists to handle the job from the beginning. Call Design Air Inc today and let us handle your transition to solar energy in Spring Valley, NY.

Tags: Solar Energy, Spring Valley
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How to Determine the Size of Your Solar Energy Array

Friday, June 13th, 2014

Solar energy is the most forward-thinking and effective way to provide your home with energy. Here’s what you should always keep in mind when thinking about the benefits of solar energy: the power from the Sun is free. The mass of hydrogen and helium at the center of our solar system emits a constant heat of 5,778° Kelvin, and if you can harness it on Earth’s surface using a solar energy array, it’s free. The only cost to you is the installation of the photovoltaic cells on the roof (or other outdoor location). The efficiency of the system will soon pay for itself.

How large an array of solar cells do you need to supply your home with power? It’s an important question, and thankfully it isn’t one you need to figure out on your own. Contact our expert solar installers to help you decide how much power you need and the array that can deliver it for you. For solar energy in Nyack, NY, look to the skilled team at Design Air Inc.

Sizing a Solar Energy Array

The first part of sizing an array is to determine how much of your home you intend to convert to solar power. If you are starting small, you may only want to run a water heater (this is a common place to begin with solar conversion). Or perhaps you want to have your whole house run on solar power with a back-up electrical system connected to the grid. Once you’ve made the choice about the extent of solar power you want in your home, the installers will start determining how large an array of PV cells you need.

The calculation of array size starts with determining the kilowatt-hours your home/appliance uses each month (the installers can use your past bills to find this out). Then they factor in the amount of sun that your location receives based on the minimum sun-hours during winter. They then figure out the wattage for the PV panels necessary to convert the solar power available to the kilowatt-hours you use, taking into account efficiency lost in the conversion from solar energy to electricity.

Now that the installers know what sort of photovoltaic panels you need, they can make the calculation of how many individual panels are needed to make up the energy total required to meet your home’s needs. In some cases, this may be a larger array than you have space for, although this is an uncommon occurrence. Installers can make arrangements for solar panels placed on the stands lawn if necessary to help you get the most power possible.

You cannot afford to make mistakes when it comes to picking and installing solar energy system, so only trust Nyack, NY HVAC experts for the job. Call Design Air Inc today to start receiving the free benefits of the Sun’s energy that shines down on you throughout the year.

Tags: Nyack, Solar Energy
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3 Advantages of Solar Power

Friday, May 16th, 2014

You probably don’t think that solar power matters a whole lot here in New York. We get a lot of cloud cover on the East Coast, and our winters are as cold as they come. Yet advances in solar power mean that you needn’t worry about cloudy days the way you might have. Here in Monsey, solar energy has become an attractive alternative to many homeowners and you might want to consider a solar energy system for your household. Here are 3 advantages of solar power that could help make the decision easier.

Efficiency. Solar panels use renewable energy, which means that they cost next to nothing to operate. A system in your home can save you a huge amount in monthly energy bills, and it may even earn you money since you can sell electrical energy back to the grid if your system produces more than your household needs.
Environmentally friendly. It goes without saying that solar panels make a very green choice for your power needs. They generate no harmful waste and because the sun is an infinitely renewable resource, it doesn’t drain fossil fuels, coal or the like. Increased efficiency has eliminated many of the downsides, making it easier than ever to get the energy you need while still being environmentally friendly.
Self-sufficiency. We have our share of power outages in the area, with hurricanes and other disasters growing increasingly common. Solar panels offer a degree of self-sufficiency, allowing you to continue to run vital appliances even when the power grid itself gets knocked out.

The advantages of solar power are self-evident, but even the most efficient system requires a certain up-front investment. And when you make that investment, you want the very best company you can find to perform the installation for you. In Monsey, solar energy systems are the purview of Design Air, Inc. We can inspect your home for the viability of the system (you usually need a clear skyline devoid of trees) and discuss your options with you before proceeding. When the time comes to install the system, we can do so with courtesy and pride. Give us a call today to make an appointment. You’ll be glad you did! And don’t forget to ask about our extensive HVAC services in Monsey when you need professional work done!

Tags: Monsey, Solar Energy
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